Who normally goes to your clinic?
Anyone with an interest in improving their function, decreasing pain in everyday life or removing limitations in sport performance. You don’t need to have a sports injury to consult our clinic.
What should I expect on my first visit?
On your first visit you will fill out a short patient information form and consult a health care practitioner. You will be asked a series of questions to help direct the physical assessment and special tests.
Time-permitting, a treatment will be performed and, when relevant, a home exercise program will be advised. In chronic or complex cases, or when multiple injuries or issues are present, additional assessment may be required, leaving little time for treatment in the first visit.
Proper identification of the cause of the symptom or dysfunction is of higher priority than initiating treatment and this decision will be made on a case-by-case basis by your therapist.
You should arrive about ten minutes early and reserve approximately one hour of time for your appointment.
Where is the clinic located?
Where is the clinic located?
To reach us by phone: (613) 521-3222.
The building itself, called the Bank Street Professional Building, is at the Bank St/Riverside Drive intersection. The building is directly across from Billings Bridge Shopping Centre.
The building offers pay parking on-site. It is a pay-and-display system.
The clinic itself is on the 4th floor of the building, Suite 402. When you enter the building, take the elevators to the 4th floor, and turn right when exiting the elevator to find us in Suite 402.
What should I bring with me to my appointment?
You should bring any relevant imaging reports (X-ray, Ultra-Sound, MRI, CT-Scan etc.). If you don't currently have a copy of previous test results, it's a good idea to start keeping a medical file of your own for future visits.
You should bring comfortable clothing to allow access to the area being treated. Most patients wear shorts and a t-shirt/sports bra/tank top. We always have shorts and tops available to use here at the clinic should you forget to bring your own. If you wear orthotic inserts in your shoes you should bring them with you.
It may also be helpful to bring in your running shoes or cleats if you regularly wear them for running or sports.
Do you read results of medical tests such as X-ray, MRI and CT Scan?
Conventional imaging reports (X-ray, MRI, CT Scan) will be referred to during the assessment and treatment of the involved area(s). Additionally, referral for further testing or consultation with a specialist, when deemed necessary, will be facilitated with a letter from your practitioner.
Is the treatment covered by OHIP or my insurance?
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) does not cover osteopathy, athletic therapy, massage therapy or kinesiology. Although OHIP covers certain physiotherapy services, our clinic is not an OHIP-designated clinic. Therefore, our physiotherapy services are not covered by OHIP. Many extended health care insurance plans do cover a portion of these services, but the amount of coverage varies.
You should verify the details of your specific coverage if you intend to submit your claims to your insurance company. Many companies already offer coverage for the services offered at our clinic.
If your insurance plan does not cover the service you are receiving, you may contact your group policy administrator to request that your policy be changed.
Osteopathy coverage on insurance plans:
If your extended health insurance plan includes osteopathy services (typically referred to as "osteopath benefit") then receipts from all of the Osteopathic Manual Practitioners at Ottawa Osteopathy & Sports Therapy will be accepted for reimbursement, according to your plan's policies. All of our Osteopathic Manual Practitioners are members of the Ontario Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (OAO). In the province of Ontario, the OAO has the highest educational and professional requirements for membership, and as such it is recognized by all insurance companies offering coverage for osteopathy services.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
A physician’s referral is not necessary to make an appointment at our clinic. However some insurance plans require a physician’s referral prior to accepting or reimbursing claims for osteopathy, athletic therapy, physiotherapy or massage therapy. You should verify the details of your specific coverage if you intend to submit your claims to your insurance company.
How is osteopathy and athletic therapy different from chiropractic and physiotherapy?
Osteopathy uses a large skill set which involves: manual therapy, soft tissue techniques, careful spinal and extremity adjustments, visceral and cranial (cranio-sacral) techniques. Treatments are based on removing the impediments to normal self-healing and treating the patient as a whole unit. A global apporach is employed to determine the cause of the problem at hand. Some patients describe osteopathic adjustments as more gentle than some chiropractic techniques and treatment sessions last longer.
Chiropractic was founded by a student of the first school of osteopathy. The focus of treatments is on spinal and extremity manipulations, soft tissue techniques and modalities such as Ultra-Sound and various electrotherapies. The goal is to re-align the spine to restore function or remove pressure on the nervous system. Chiropractors do not treat the viscera directly and tend to have shorter, more frequent visits than osteopaths.
Athletic therapy makes use of soft tissue techniques, postural assessment, joint mobilizations and may use Ultra-Sound and other electrotherapies. Athletic therapists have additional training in emergency care, Sports First Responder and exercise prescription related to improving physical function and high performance in sport. Having a strong knowledge in anatomy, physiology, pathology and special testing athletic therapists regularly treat injuries related to work, sport and active living.
Physiotherapy employs soft tissue techniques, postural assessment, joint mobilizations and may use the same modalities as athletic therapists. Some physiotherapists take continuing education courses allowing them to perform spinal and extremity manipulations. Following this they often use the title of manipulative physiotherapist. Treatments often focus on a specific area or region of the body to improve mobility or restore function.
How do I choose who I should see?
Give us a call and we will help you to make an informed decision based on your current needs.
What if I just want to get some advice?
We believe that patient education should be a priority. Knowledge can empower you to make a more educated decision on what is best for your care.
Feel free to contact us about your questions or concerns. You may need to leave a message but a qualified individual will get back to you to answer your question. We look forward to hearing from you.
